I am so happy to see Freddie cover this topic. It is one of my favorites related to explaining our social and economic challenges. I worked in blue collar physical jobs before I got interested in computers and business and converted to a professional class worker. Now, some of my family and friends tell me that I was always too intellige…
I am so happy to see Freddie cover this topic. It is one of my favorites related to explaining our social and economic challenges.
I worked in blue collar physical jobs before I got interested in computers and business and converted to a professional class worker. Now, some of my family and friends tell me that I was always too intelligent to work in careers of physical labor. I laugh at that noting some of my friends that did not go to college and now own contracting companies where they make more money than me.
In one business I own I hire C4 certified pipe welders that bill $150 per hour. Those welders drive nice vehicles, live in nice homes and take nice vacations.
I am reading Ian McGilchrist’s book The Master and Its Emissary that covers the left vs right brain topic. I think another related consideration is that as our economy has migrated away from product manufacturing and related services to become largely one focused on entertainment, too many people are duped by their entertainment feeds to think they are talented enough to be entitled to making a living and then fame for their talent.
Just go on YouTube and watch travel Vlogs. 98% of them are crap. The 2% worth watching are done by people with talent, skills and knowledge. But ask around and you will discover that millions of young people think they too can make a living traveling and video-recording their experience.
Yes creating artistic content has never been cheaper or easier, but the talent pool has not really changed. Artistic success has always been a pyramid and will always be a pyramid where there is a small population of truly talented people at the top, and the rest of us need to find a job making some widgets.
Mostly, I strongly agree with you. However, in some important respects, technology has actually made the situation worse. In 1870, if you wanted to listen to music, the music had to be live. This created a large market for musicians who weren't the best of their era, but could perform. After recording was invented, only the best musicians had any hope of surviving.
The same now holds for YouTube, Spotify, TikTok, Instagram, etc. If you aren't Taylor Swift, you have no market.
I think the Pyramid is larger and maybe a slightly different shape, and there is definitely an increase in mastery of musical instruments (there are astounding guitar players today that only 20 years ago would have been seen as sensations, but today they are in a sea of others just as amazing), but artistic talent is artistic talent.
Now there are some that just make it from hard work and luck... but without having the genetic traits of top artistic talent. But Taylor Swift was born with that top level artistic talent and she managed to have all the other things needed to make her mega-successful.
I am so happy to see Freddie cover this topic. It is one of my favorites related to explaining our social and economic challenges.
I worked in blue collar physical jobs before I got interested in computers and business and converted to a professional class worker. Now, some of my family and friends tell me that I was always too intelligent to work in careers of physical labor. I laugh at that noting some of my friends that did not go to college and now own contracting companies where they make more money than me.
In one business I own I hire C4 certified pipe welders that bill $150 per hour. Those welders drive nice vehicles, live in nice homes and take nice vacations.
I am reading Ian McGilchrist’s book The Master and Its Emissary that covers the left vs right brain topic. I think another related consideration is that as our economy has migrated away from product manufacturing and related services to become largely one focused on entertainment, too many people are duped by their entertainment feeds to think they are talented enough to be entitled to making a living and then fame for their talent.
Just go on YouTube and watch travel Vlogs. 98% of them are crap. The 2% worth watching are done by people with talent, skills and knowledge. But ask around and you will discover that millions of young people think they too can make a living traveling and video-recording their experience.
Yes creating artistic content has never been cheaper or easier, but the talent pool has not really changed. Artistic success has always been a pyramid and will always be a pyramid where there is a small population of truly talented people at the top, and the rest of us need to find a job making some widgets.
Mostly, I strongly agree with you. However, in some important respects, technology has actually made the situation worse. In 1870, if you wanted to listen to music, the music had to be live. This created a large market for musicians who weren't the best of their era, but could perform. After recording was invented, only the best musicians had any hope of surviving.
The same now holds for YouTube, Spotify, TikTok, Instagram, etc. If you aren't Taylor Swift, you have no market.
I think the Pyramid is larger and maybe a slightly different shape, and there is definitely an increase in mastery of musical instruments (there are astounding guitar players today that only 20 years ago would have been seen as sensations, but today they are in a sea of others just as amazing), but artistic talent is artistic talent.
Now there are some that just make it from hard work and luck... but without having the genetic traits of top artistic talent. But Taylor Swift was born with that top level artistic talent and she managed to have all the other things needed to make her mega-successful.